1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to shifting knobs for transmissions with removable medallions or cavity covers. More specifically, the present invention relates to retrofittedly illuminating medallion or cavity covers in shifting knobs for manual automotive transmissions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Huge amounts of goods are transported at all hours of the day and night about the United States by way of tractor trailer truck. In making truck deliveries, truck drivers enter and exit tractor trailer truck cabins during night time hours and commonly face the problem of not being able to readily locate the manual transmission shifter knob in the dark due to the fact that many tractor trailer truck cabin lights are controlled such that the cabin light only illuminates the cabin when the cabin door is ajar. This is especially the case in some of the more basic tractor trailer trucks that do not provide many of the amenities that are widely available in typical passenger cars today. Therefore, a need exists in the trucking industry for a way to overcome the problem of locating the manual transmission shifter knob in the dark.
It has come to the inventor""s attention that if the manual transmission shifter knob were illuminated independent of the electrical system of the tractor trailer truck, the manual transmission shifter knob would be more easily located in the dark. Although it is common in other areas of the prior art to illuminate knobs and buttons in order to facilitate location of the knobs or buttons, there still remains a need for a device that can be used to independently illuminate the manual transmission shifter knob of a tractor trailer truck. Some of the previously issued United States Patents that disclose the current state of the art are discussed here.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,880B1 issued to Furst, discloses a lighting device for attachment to a motor vehicle inside a housing. The lighting device uses light emitting diodes to illuminate automotive interiors and the immediate area around the exterior of an automobile. The lighting device is powered by the central electrical power supply of the automobile. This piece of prior art does not disclose or teach an independently powered lighting device that can be retrofittedly integrated into an existing automobile feature such as a manual transmission shifter knob.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,130 issued to Shung, discloses a gripping device equipped with a replaceable head portion which can have various artistic forms. The replaceable head portion has a centrally located attachment structure that does not teach or disclose integrating an independently powered lighting device within the replaceable head.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,206 issued to Hall et al., discloses a control knob utilizing a collar assembly with a housing for a light emitting diode (LED) to provide for backlighting. The control knob does not teach or disclose an independently powered lighting device that can be retrofittedly integrated into an existing structure such as a manual transmission shifter knob.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,742,204 issued to Price discloses a knob for the for a gear-selector lever of a motor vehicle that may have an electric lamp inside the knob. This piece of prior art does not disclose or teach an independently powered lighting device that can be retrofittedly integrated into an existing automobile feature such as a manual transmission shifter knob.
These previously issued United States Patents disclose using small illumination devices such as light emitting diodes to illuminate areas and make user interface structures such as knobs, buttons and levers more noticeable. However, there still remains a need for a device that can be used to retrofittedly illuminate a manual transmission shifter knob by way of an independent power source.
In order to fulfill this need, as well as others that will become readily apparent after a reading of this specification, a device that can be used to retrofittedly illuminate a manual transmission shifter knob by way of an independent power source is provided.
A primary object of the claimed invention is to provide a device that replaces an existing shifter knob cavity cover with an independently powered and operated illuminated shifter knob cavity cover that makes a manual transmission shifter knob more readily locatable in dim lighting.
Another object of the claimed invention is to provide an independently powered and operated illuminated shifter knob cavity cover that has an illuminating means for viewing of a label within the shifter knob cavity cover in dim lighting.
A further object of the claimed invention is to provide an independently powered and operated illuminated shifter knob cavity cover that may replace existing shifter knob cavity covers of several different manufacturers.
To achieve the foregoing objects and to fulfill the previously mentioned need in the trucking industry, a device for retrofittedly illuminating a manual motor transmission shifter knobs is provided. The device generally comprises a retrofit knob cavity cover or medallion, a cover cavity, a transparent lens, an illuminating means, a switching means, and a battery receiving structure.
The retrofit knob cavity cover or medallion is sized and shaped to retrofittedly replace a preexisting knob cavity cover for a knob cavity having at least one open side within a top face of a knob body made by a particular manufacturing entity connected to a manual motor transmission shifter. The retrofit knob cavity cover has a lens aperture for receiving a transparent lens portion and a switch aperture for receiving the switching means. The transparent lens portion is disposed within the lens aperture.
The lens is connected to the knob cavity cover and is sized and shaped to receive a label for viewing through the lens aperture. The lens has an illuminating well for receiving a portion of the illuminating means. A light energizable material such as phosphorus paint may be used to coat the lens to retain illumination of the lens when the illuminating means is deactivated.
The illuminating means, preferably a light emitting diode, is connected to the retrofit knob cavity cover and is positioned to be disposed within the knob cavity when the preexisting knob cavity cover is replaced by the retrofit knob cavity cover. At least a portion of the illuminating means extends within the illuminating well of the lens providing illumination of the lens when the illuminating means is activated.
The switching means is connected to the illuminating means where at least a portion of the switching means extends through the switch aperture. The switching means is preferably a two-position selector switch to selectively activate and deactivate the illuminating means.
The battery receiving structure is connected to the illuminating means and is positioned to be disposed within the knob cavity when the preexisting knob cavity cover is replaced by the retrofit knob cavity cover. The device may be packaged as a kit so that it also includes a battery disposed within the battery receiving means energizing the illuminating means when the illuminating means is activated and a label adhered to the back side of the transparent lens portion for viewing of the label when the illuminating means is activated by the switching means.